In more ways than one, YouTube has been a catalyst for sharing and creating all sorts of content that was previously unimaginable. Video games in particular have thrived in this environment, and the community has flourished because of it. Going on the site now and searching your favorite titles will yield bountiful amounts of Let’s Play videos, guides, and even reviews. Today, YouTube has announced that they will be launching a new site specifically tailored for the aforementioned group: YouTube Gaming. The site and application will launch this summer, providing a mecca of sorts for those only interested in this specific medium.

You will have the liberty of watching your favorite content on a home desktop or on the mobile app on your tablet and phone. More than 25,000 games will have their own dedicated page where you will find items specifically based on your selected title. In theory this hyper-specialized system should enable users to find new entertainment providers. Everything else should sound familiar to those acclimated to the original YouTube, where subscribing to a channel will notify you when new items go up on said page, and even let you know when a stream is starting up. Recommendations will also be given based on your preferences. Is it taking us one step closer to the Singularity? Probably. Are we okay with that? Definitely.

The homepage will also be featuring live broadcasts. For all that YouTube has been able to nurture, livestreams have been completely lacking. Well, they are working to rectify the issue by streamlining everything. In the coming weeks, the broadcasting system will be redesigned so that a single link can be shared for all your streams and you will no longer need to schedule it ahead of time. All previous features will still be supported.

It’s no surprise that simplifying the broadcasting functionality has become the main objective, but launching a whole new site is bold. It’s an obvious attempt to crush Twitch. It’s hard to imagine their competitors keeping pace, especially if they can get down the whole streaming aspect. I fear that, in a way, they are only splitting up their audience. Will gaming specific channels become exclusive to the new page? If they are not indeed unique to the new location, why even bother going to YouTube Gaming? These are questions that will definitely need answering in the near future.

As for now, this is exciting and will only provide another platform for the most imaginative of minds to create on. Make sure to plant your thoughts in the comments section below.